michael_c11

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My sister is getting married in the near future and I've been trying to help her select a photographer for the event.

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I've been able to help by identifying good technique and composition. But the rest of the details are well

outside my areas of expertise.

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I was hoping folks here might be able to lend some advice on what to look for in a wedding photographer beyond

the "style". I'm specifically interested in the <b>business transaction</b> itself. For example:

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<li>When a photographer provides digital images, should we expect RAW or a certain minimum resolution on JPEG?</li>

<li>I would assume that any good wedding photographer is going to "tweak" the images after they're taken. But

what kinds of questions should we ask about this? I certainly do not want to pay someone thousands of dollars to

be given hundreds of unprocessed digital photos.</li>

<li>We all know what kind of difference the choice of equipment makes in the quality of our own photography. But

how do you judge someone else by their camera equipment? Is it right to ask what kind of equipment they use and

how many cameras they'll have on-site (to minimize lens changing time)?</li>

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I guess what I'm really after is help in crafting a list of questions for the photographer. Since many of you

are professionals who do this on a regular basis, what are the important things you want people to know about

your business when you make the sales pitch? How do you suggest weeding through the options once you've select a

"style" that's appropriate for the event?

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Thanks in advance for your suggestions and tips.

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My "standard" travel lens is the Sigma 30mm F1.4. It's versatile, fast, and produces some really nice images. On a recent trip to Italy, I found it was good enough for 99% of all shots (and certainly helped lighten my load).

 

However, I recently picked up a Canon 70-200mm F4 L IS that is starting to spend more time on my body than the Sigma. I've found that the extra reach allows me to get pictures of people and architecture that I wouldn't even come close to getting with the shorter lens. The 70-200 definitely adds some bulk to my travel, but I find it worthwhile because of this.

 

If you want to stay light, you can get away with a 30mm or 50mm lens. But if you like to capture architectural details or snap un-posed pictures of people, the extra reach offered by your 100mm (or something even longer) is something you may not be able to live without...

Be sure to read the fine print on the Microsoft software. It doesn't work with a lot of the more recent Canon camera RAW formats (e.g., XTi, XSi, etc.).

 

I'd recommend going with Google's Picasa (http://picasaweb.google.com/) or Adobe's Lightroom (http://www.adobe.com/). Google is free. Lightroom has a full-featured trial version available.

I've had my eye on the LowePro Mini Trekker AW and have been waiting for a sale

or a decent coupon before making the purchase. I recently received an offer to

pick up a non-AW Mini Trekker at a fairly decent price ($60). The all-weather

feature was really what turned me onto the MT, but at this price I'm considering

the older style of the bag anyway.

 

Can anyone here tell me if there were other changes made to the Mini Trekker

line when LowePro transitioned to only carrying the AW version? I assume

dimensions and overall build quality remain the same, but you never know...

 

Also, does anyone know of a good rain cover "accessory" that would fit this bag?

I live in the Pacific Northwest, so there's an obvious need for some extra

precautions... :)

 

Thanks!

For those who adapt non-photo bags to hold photo gear, how do you keep the gear organized and accessible? Are there "kits" to at least offer some protection and organization of the camera gear as you walk around?

Why would a 200mm prime have a field-of-view that is equivalent to a 320mm with the 5D? The 5D has a full-frame sensor; that math doesn't work here, does it?

Personally, I'm not a fan of those extended warranties ... they tend to be a big rip-off. Many major credit cards carry some kind of extended warranty protection when you use them to make a purchase (often doubling the manufacturer's warranty). I'd put the $100 toward a lens or some accessories (or just keep it in the bank! :)

 

Enjoy the 40D!

On a recent trip to Italy, I found that the lens that spent the most time on my Canon XTi (400D) was the Sigma 30mm F1.4. It was just what I needed for most situations I found myself in (landscapes, street photos, churches, etc.). It's not as inexpensive as the Canon, but I found that it offered a much better perspective for my needs (the 50mm on the crop sensor seemed more like a portrait lens than a general-purpose lens) and the F1.4 was just what I needed inside a lot of those dark churches and museums.

 

Coupled with the X{T|S}i kit lens, I think you'd be in good shape to capture excellent photos and still travel light, especially since this is your first DSLR. After my trip (on which I was using the XTi for the first time), I had a better feel for the lenses that were more appropriate for my needs.

 

I'd recommend spending part of your lens budget on a solid performing (fast) general-purpose lens (like the Sigma 30mm F1.4) and saving the rest for when you get back. Once you've had a chance to spend time with the camera and the "basic" lenses, you'll have experience under your belt to make more informed lens buying decisions. Since my trip I've added Canon's 70-200mm F4 L IS and 10-22mm to the line-up. Had I blown all my lens budget at the same time I purchased the camera body, I'd have a very different (and less useful) set of lenses at my disposal right now...

 

Regardless of your DSLR/lens choices, have fun in France/Spain. Make sure you pack plenty of extra memory cards... :)

Recently, I went through a similar decision-making process. I ended up choosing the Canon 70-200 F4 L with IS because it offered the best features of the lot that I was comparing it to. At the time, I had only considered other lenses by Canon in this zoom range. The reason for this was simple: I had a bad experience with Sigma and did not want to deal with them (or any other third-party manufacturer for that matter) any time soon...

 

For me, IS (image stabilization) was very important on a zoom in this range. And, since I shoot mostly outdoors at this range, the F4 was okay for me. Plus, weight was very important because I wanted to travel with the lens (that ruled out Canon's giant F2.8 L in this category).

 

If you don't have a problem with Sigma, I would recommend you try to get your hands on both lenses -- that's what helped a great deal in my decision making process. Also, I would check pixel-peeper to compare shots taken with both lenses. And browse these message boards ... there's more than enough information floating around in the archives! :)

 

Good luck! And enjoy the new lens once you've made a decision.

Maury: Will the Rover hold a 70-200 lens along with a camera body and an added lens or two? The bottom section seems pretty tight...

Hi Nader,

 

I have the LowePro Slingshot 200 AW, which seems very similarly configured to the Fastpack.

 

For what it's worth, I loved the Slingshot at first, but as soon as I purchased my 70-200 F4 IS, I quickly began a search for a replacement bag that was more appropriate for my gear. The problem with the Slingshot is everything that makes it seem like a great bag -- the easy access, the shoulder strap, the overall size. Let me explain:

 

I had arranged the dividers in my Slingshot to hold a few lenses and accessories when I traveled. As soon as I got the 70-200, I discovered that the bag required two very different configurations, depending on whether I wanted to store the camera body (Canon XTi) with the 70-200 or with a different (shorter) lens. Obviously, I'm not going to reconfigure the bag "in the field" just so I can put the camera away in a different configuration -- it would be easier to simply change lenses.

 

I also found that the shoulder strap was great for storing relatively lightweight lenses in the bag, but the weight of the 70-200 made it a little unbearable for longer treks. What made it even worse was the fact that the strap loosens on its own over time; obviously, this is not a good feature for longer walks or when traveling with heavier gear in the bag (I'm not sure if the FastPack has the same "feature", but it may be worth experimenting with if you can get your hands on one in the store).

 

Finally, the overall size of the bag was great at first because it forced me to pack light. But as I started traveling abroad with it, I found the bag to be very limiting. When I would move between hotels or cities, I ended up packing little odds-and-ends into the Slingshot which made my camera/lenses either unaccessible or very difficult to get to.

 

My next bag will definitely be a backpack style bag. I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that two straps and a comfortable fit beat convenience and quick access (most of the time). :( I'm also leaning toward getting a bag that has a laptop compartment so I can use it to either store (a) an actual laptop; or (b) books and journals that don't fit or shouldn't be tossed in with the rest of my gear.

 

I'd be very interested in hearing what other options you're considering (or other suggestions that people make here). And if you do get the FastPack, please do return and share your experiences ... maybe it'll be better than my current solution and worth considering as I search out a new bag.

Also, I wouldn't suggest you spend extra money on accessories like the vertical grip until you determine if he really wants/needs them. If you have some money left over and want to pick up some accessories, get an 8GB memory card and/or an external card reader for the computer. That's definitely money well spent. :)

$1,000 (US) should be plenty for a starter camera and lens. If you want to go the route of a kit, the Canon XTi kit comes with the camera body and the EF-S 18-55mm lens for ~$600. While that lens isn't the greatest, it is a good starter for many just getting into (or back into) the world of digital SLRs. If you want to go slightly little higher end, I would suggest you consider getting the Canon XTi camera body and 1-2 add-on lenses. The Sigma 30mm F1.4 (my recommendation) or Canon 50mm F1.8 are both good lenses you might consider.

I have an XTi with the Sigma 30mm F1.4 and it does *very* well in low light without flash. As others have said, your "problem" is a slow lens, not the camera body itself. For what it's worth, I find the 30mm on my crop sensor to be the right focal length for pictures that I take in the house.

I would recommend that you get the kit and use it as a springboard. The included lens is not a terrible lens; it's a good place to start and you'll learn a lot with it. The 50mm f1.8 is a nice add-on, but you really don't need that right away either (though at ~$85, you really can't go wrong :)

Look good to me, too. What made you think it wasn't a good copy?

Tommy beat me to it. :) Ditto what he said... The <a href="http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=152&modelid=7306">Canon 50mm F1.8 II</a> is an excellent lens that's hard to beat for the money.

Are you using full frame or a crop sensor?

 

I'd be tempted to recommend the 50mm because it seems right for your "studio" conditions. Since you have the 75-300, you should use that to gauge how well the 75-85 range meets your needs. Still, since you already have 85mm covered by the zoom, I'd get the 50mm for versatility.

My XTi behaves the same. In fact, I've had people stop smiling or turn away because they assume the picture is already taken... I actually don't use the flash very often, but it sounds like the "problem" you describe is the same on my XTi -- it's just the camera trying to light the subject sufficiently so it can fine-tune the settings before capturing the shot.

I have a Rebel XTi and the Sigma 30mm F1.4 and absolutely love it. It was the only lens I took with me on a recent trip to Italy and it did a great job capturing all of the sites ... including those were lighting was less than ideal. Mine too suffered from the front-focusing issue -- sent it to Sigma and had it repaired (though mine took a lot longer than 3 days!).

 

I recently purchased the 70-200 F4L IS that David mentioned. It's a nice compliment to the 30mm for my purposes. In the near future, I'm hoping to acquire a Canon 10-22mm Ultra-wide angle.

 

If you poke through the recent forum posts, you'll see that folks seem to like the Canon 24-105 L as their carry-everywhere lens. Something else to consider...

 

Happy shopping! :)

<i>Infact if I recall 1/3 of the DOF should be infront of the subject and 2/3 behind it.</i>

 

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Interesting! I assumed it was the opposite (with more focus in front of the subject). This is good to know (assuming this is really the case :)

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I should have posted a better shot of the focus line. While it is "in focus", it's still the same "not crisp, not perfect" focus that I was complaining about in the original post.

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As it stands, the lens is taking shots that are "good enough" in the real world. However, the flash on my XTi is stuck so I'll probably just send 'em both in to Canon for service at the same time. This way I can have the experts analyze the AF mechanism and make a minor adjustment (assuming the softness is a sign of a slightly out-of-whack AF).

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Thanks for the "thumbs up" Jason ... you've made me feel a lot better about the results that I've been getting. If this looks close-to-normal to someone else, I'll rest easier at night... :)

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Whoops ... forgot to include the image.

This has been a really great thread for me to read. Thanks again for all the comments.

 

To follow-up on Jason's earlier request, I re-ran some of my earlier lens tests and specifically focused on the AF test chart from FocusTestChart.com.

 

I tried to be as precise as possible with my configuration of the test: The camera was placed on a steady tripod. The body was adjusted to be at an approximate 45-degree angle. The picture was taken with the lens stepped to F4 and zoomed to 200mm. And the subject was approximately 5'8" away from the tip of the lens (Canon 70-200 F4 L IS USM).

 

To me, the resulting image looks decent, but it's not perfect ... especially if you blow it up to 100%. There's some back focus, but I can't tell if this is to be expected (e.g., "leave it alone") or if this could explain why I'm not getting more crisp images (all of my pics are still a little soft if you zoom to 100%). The 100% crop below was made using Canon's DPP.

 

Any advice on reconfiguring the test, improving my technique, or dealing with this "problem" would be much appreciated. Is it worth a shipment to Canon for recalibration or is this something we all have to live with given today's equipment?

 

Thanks!

Bob: Based on a few reviews I've read, you don't need the tripod mount ring for the F4 IS version of this lens in controlled environments (which is why Canon doesn't include it in the kit). I'm using a Bogen/Manfrotto 190XPro with a 486RC2 compact ballhead. The "experiments" were performed indoors. Do you really think this setup without the tripod mount is the source of the problem? I felt fairly confident that the system was stable/sturdy while I was creating these images...

This has been a really interesting thread to read... When I posted the original photo, I expected the responses to swing one way or the other (e.g., "get a new lens" or "you're doing it all wrong" :) It's kinda nice to see a mixed set of feedback... Here are a few responses to the above comments:

 

Jason: I actually started with that particular focus test and decided against posting the results here. I've talked to others about the results from that test and found that people focused more on the configuration of the test than the actual results (e.g., "you were too close", "you didn't have the right angle", "being 'off' by a few mm is 'expected'", etc.) Essentially, it's too easy to make up excuses for why the results are not "perfect". If the results would be helpful, I'm happy to rerun the test and post them in this thread...

 

Robert: Great advice! I'll lock the mirror and see how that changes my results. That said, I would like to see this lens produce crisp results at F4. At this price-point and with this lens' reputation, I fully expect it to be capable of producing good images (with an admittedly shallow DOF) at F4. Am I being unreasonable? For this test, I don't see why F4 would be "expected" to produce soft images.

 

Colin, Peter, Dan, and others: Is it fair to assume, based on the comments here, that I should expect to "tweak" *all* of my images that are taken with this camera? I've always had a mindset that prevents me from "editing" images. Given your comments, it sounds like "perfect" images may only come as a result of post-processing with Photoshop or some similar image editing software. Is that a fair interpretation? And to think that these soft images were causing me to question my own technique... *wink*

 

Thanks to all for the responses thus far ... please keep 'em coming. I clearly have a lot of homework to do over the weekend. :)